Ade’s POV
“This might not be a good idea, but I think you have everything in your arsenal to do it, “Will, my male friend, said.
“You are supporting this madness, Will?” Amethyst, my female friend asked glaring at Will.
The three of us were quite a pair. Will was the only son of the Gamma which means he would automatically become the Gamma of our pack. I met Amethyst through him. She was the daughter of one of the high-ranking officers of the pack. They were friends and the three of us bonded in a rather strange way.
We were friends, but we had boundaries, and we did not intrude on each other's privacy. We didn't just visit because we felt like it. We called or sent a text ahead and each time we came together, we were either reading or having a serious discussion about something.
Amethyst was the youngest of us. Will would be eighteen in a month while I still had close to four months and Amethyst had another year before she turned eighteen.
“I didn't ask you guys to come here so that we can do meaningless back and forth. I called you here so that we can find a way forward,” I said glaring at Amethyst.
“Look, I am not being pessimistic, but I think it is a suicide mission. What if you are found out and you are taken to the presence of the king for punishment? What will you say for yourself?” Amethyst asked. She was uncomfortable with the plan.
“That is why we must make plans so that she will not be found out,” Will said rolling his eyes.
“Ok. Fine. How do you intend to do that, master planner?” Amethyst asked.
“Unlike some people, she hasn't shown any sign of maturity, so…” Will was saying, but Amethyst interrupted him.
“Are you trying to insult me, Will?” Amethyst asked raising a brow.
“No, I am not. I am only stating the obvious,” Will said.
“I should be the one feeling insulted, Amethyst. Let him explain, please,” I pleaded.
Will was right, at almost eighteen, I had nothing to single me out as a girl. I was ramrod slim. No sign of a protruding chest or an impressive backside. Mum had said I would fill out with time and I used to wonder when the time would be. Thinking of it at that moment, I was grateful that I didn't have those features yet.
“Since you don't have the features that distinguish you as a female yet, it should be easy to get you into the training camp with a little makeover. Your long hair would have to go through, and I think a little tampering with your eyebrow should be done, too,” Will explained.
‘I learned a trick when I visited my maternal grandmother’s pack. There is a leaf called aura blow. If you use it, it will make you smell masculine, and if you are a male, it will smell feminine,” Amethyst said.
“Now you are talking,” Will said which made Amethyst glare at him.
“I think I will have to search online to see the best boy cut that will match my face,” I said.
“Wait a minute, what if you can't get the leaf Amethyst asked you to use to make your scent smell masculine in the camp?” Will asked frowning.
“Breaking news, it can be made into oil and you only have to apply it once in five days to the armpit and neck. We just have to make sure we produce enough to last a long time. And if need be, we will get more to you,” Amethyst explained.
“Does this mean you support my plan?” I asked happily.
“Not entirely because it scares the s**t out of me. But then, you are hell-bent on doing it, so I have to do my best to support you and ensure you don't get yourself killed,” Amethyst said.
After our very brief but productive meeting, we decided to meet at Amethyst house the next day, so that we could go to the forest in search of the plant and get the leaf. We should take it, make some oil, and test it first.
“Adelia,” my sister Ariana shouted when I stepped into the house.
I picked her up and swirled around making her laugh out loud in happiness. She was my little sister and I loved her like life itself. She could be annoying sometimes, but most of the time, she was a sweet, obedient girl. Unlike me, there was no restless bone in her.
“I thought I saw Amethyst and Will. Aren't they coming in for brunch?” Mum asked as she came in bringing a tray of refreshments.
“No. They are both off to somewhere,” I said.
“Oh really? Those two are always together. I won't be surprised if Will is Amethyst’s mate,” Mum said making me laugh hard.
“What?” Mum asked as she was confused as to why I was laughing.
“Mum, Will can never be Amethyst's mate. Amethyst is a handful that Will cannot manage,” I said smiling.
“The ways of the moon goddess are unclear to us most times, you know,” Mum said, and I nodded and said the first thing that came to my mind.
“Of course, it is very unclear because how will she sit somewhere and watch her creations discriminate against her gender, and yet she does nothing,” I hissed.
“Be careful what you say, Adelia. Don't be rash. Don't say things you might later regret,” Mum said and I apologized.
“Listen Ariana. What do you think of me cutting my hair?” I asked my sister who was busy trying to arrange her toes on each other.
“Why would you think of cutting your hair, you will end up looking like a boy,” Mum said incredulously.
I smiled. That was exactly what I wanted to hear. It was the validation I needed. I happily sat down and had brunch with my Mum and my sister.
The next day, I couldn't wait to get to Amethyst’s house. I wasn't surprised to find Will there waiting. Amethyst’s Mum welcomed me happily like she always did.
Amethyst took us to the back of the house, where we sat most of the time when we were there to visit.
“Will has something to show you,” Amethyst said, making me turn to Will with my brow raised in question.
“Ok, check this out,” Will said, then emptied the contents of his bag on the floor and started packing it again, but he left two things behind. A container that looked like it had drugs in it and something that looked like a funnel.
“What are these?” I asked.
“So, I thought about it after I got home yesterday. And I thought of some other loopholes that might give you away if you go to the training camp. Number one’ Will started then picked up what looked like a funnel. “The camp is strictly for males; it will be ridiculous if you have to go to a corner and bend down to urinate when others will just turn around and take a leak.”
“So?” I prompted.
“That is where this comes in,” Will said, smiling and shaking his funnel-like thing.
“What is this thing?”I asked.
“You will wear this under your boxer briefs and you can just turn around and pee wherever and whenever. I will teach you how that works,” Will said, then picked up the container, ‘and this is a drug to make your voice sound a little masculine.’ ”
“And you think it would not have negative effects?” Amethyst asked.
“I searched online for any negative reviews so far but I have got none. The drug has been in circulation for ten years. The drug is expected to work for a maximum of five years after you take the last dose, after which you have to use another one if you still want to retain your voice,” Will explained.
“Sometimes I just wonder who comes up with some ideas and how you, Will, get to know about them,” Amethyst said, glaring at Will.
“Let’s just say I like looking for new things. I don't just sit pretty in my Dad's living room expecting things to fall into my lap. I am going to be a Gamma after all,” Will said smiling teasingly at Amethyst.
“Shut up Will,” I said, rolling my eyes. Will needed to stop before he and Amethyst started bickering again.
“I am sorry, Alpha,” Will said, making Amethyst and I gasp in surprise. “What, I am doing all this to make sure you become my Alpha. I believe you can do it,” Will added when he saw our expression.
“Thank you, Will,” I said gratefully.
“Ok. So you will not start using this drug until about a month before your departure. We don't want your parents asking questions,” Will said.
We all agreed and headed to the forest to look for the leaf Amethyst talked about and make our first sample of aura solution.
Days flew by and it was Will's eighteenth birthday. His father threw him a birthday bash. We all attended and had great fun while I impatiently waited for my birthday.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and my birthday was finally here. I was so happy. I couldn't wait for the morning to arrive. I could finally meet my wolf and in less than one month, I could join the Alpha training camp without anyone's knowledge.
My parents were also giving me a birthday party, and of course, I was looking forward to it.
I sighed as I got into bed hoping I wouldn't be able to sleep because of the excitement of what the following day held. Surprisingly, I fell asleep but I suddenly came awake to the noise of commotion. I could hear wolves howling loudly. I could see the moon peeking in through my curtains.
I rushed to my door and opened it to see people rushing outside the house. I followed them, and when I got outside, the sight before me made me speechless.
There stood not far from each other, two moons. The brightest I had seen all my life with my father in his wolf form howling loudly at the noons.
“This has not happened in eighteen years,” someone said from behind me.
I had never seen the double moon even if the pack was named after them. I could only hope it was a good omen.